Five crew members of underway OSV kidnapped off southeast Nigerian coast; 1 Nigerian Navy security crew killed during exchange of gunfire with armed pirates before they escaped.

The Western Indian Ocean region off Somalia is to be further reduced effective from 1 May 2019

With only three actual incidents of attacks against ships in Asia, the total is a 50% drop compared to this period in 2018. Incidents at Caofeidian anchorage in China are noted

Suspected Somali pirate, allegedly involved in 2010 and 2011 hijacks of Somalia, has been arrested by Salzburg police whilst seeking asylum.

Despite the decrease in piracy in Asian waters, a marked rise in attacks against ships & crews around West Africa is noted in the IMB report for 2018.

ReCAAP ISC reports Six incidents of sea robbery were reported in Asia in October 2018. No piracy incident reported, no report of abduction of crew, no hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo

International Maritime Bureau (IMB) 3Q report states that a totl of 156 piracy & armed robbery against ships occurred in 9 months of 2018. Record low hijackings but danger persists in Gulf of Guinea

Two Indonesian fishermen abducted from fishing vessel with 4 crew. off Sabah, Malaysia,; first in 2 years . ASG suspected of kidnapping.